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Research paper example essay prompt: Kafkas Truth - 1233 words

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Kafka's Truth Catherine Jones Dr. Shepherd Lit
2020 05 April, 00 Kafkas Truth Despite the
intentional ambiguity in his work, Franz Kafkas
stories do contain a few common thematic threads.
Kafkas search for truth, be it about
relationships, justice, religion, or human nature
is the one interpretation that most critics agree
upon. Wilhelm Emrich, a highly acclaimed professor
in Berlin, states that Kafkas writings can only be
interpreted by accepting the full truth: An
assistive and willing readiness for the full truth
means the ability to renounce all personal,
limited ideas, wishes, and efforts of will and to
enter into the fullness of all of that-which-is
(50). What he is suggesting is that in order to
truly hear what Kafka has to say, one is required
to completely disregard the conventional. For
example, if one were to read The Metamorphosis,
and merely regurgitate the surface details of the
story, they would entirely miss the truth behind
it.

On the level of relationships, the average
reader might be touched by the familys tolerance
for the creature, noting that they may not have
been able to do the same in a similar situation.
He or she may overlook the truth of this story as
the realization that even the most beautiful, most
tender relations among people are founded on
illusions (Emrich, 142). Where was the beloved
sister after his presence became burdensome? Did
his family not remember his contributions to pay
off the debts owed by his father? Of course not,
because they became comfortable in their situation
and took Gregor for granted. When his family was
convinced that no hope remained for his recovery,
they moved on with their lives as if Gregor no
longer existed. It is difficult to draw from The
Metamorphosis, any particular divine theme without
first knowing that religion was the whole world to
Kafka and that he viewed the total sum of possible
experience in terms of religion (Muir, 36). There
is a subtle religious inference within Gregors
beetle existence where he seeks the way to the
unknown nourishment he had been longing for
(Emrich, 145).

Is he longing for God, or looking
for comfort in His absence? The first meal that
Gregor was given consisted of bread and milk.
Bread symbolizes that which is sacred in some
religions. Catholicism, for example, blesses bread
as the body of Christ. In biblical parables, seven
loaves were broken to feed a large crowd. When
Gregor refused the bread and milk, one might infer
that he was rejecting God for putting him in his
unthinkable condition. Emrich emphasizes Gregors
possible rejection of faith: A modern man in his
alienated condition, treated as an insect by his
fellows who think only of appearances, frustrated
in his longings which he is unable to communicate,
swept awayand all the while, an unacknowledged
religious victim(36).

Human nature is difficult to
describe, especially when one is expected to think
outside of that-which-appears-to-be instead of
that-which-is. After Gregor realized his
metamorphosis, he still attempted to carry out his
life as usual, perturbed not because he was a
beetle, but because his daily work routine was
disrupted. He was in a state of unresolved
conflict between work and ego (Emrich, 136),
meaning that although he acknowledged his changed
condition, though barely, Gregor still believed
that it would not hinder his ability to perform
his work duties. It seems odd that Gregor, who
disliked his job, would not view his metamorphosis
as a clear reason to abandon it. Gregor thought to
himself on that morning, If I didnt have to hold
my hand because of my parents Id have given notice
long ago, Id have gone to the chief and told him
exactly what I think of him (Kafka, 1123).

It is
when this point arises that Kafka illustrated true
human nature: man works out of obligation or duty,
not because he enjoys it. Gregor is trapped in his
insect form, just like he was trapped in his job.
Self-realization and fear of death are other
issues Kafka deals with in Metamorphosis. Gregor
takes a long, deep look at himself and discovers
his fearsome counterpart (Fickert, 47). The moment
that he accepted being a beetle and started living
like one, symbolizes the moment Man first realizes
who he really is and the lifestyle he has been
living up to that point has been meaningless. It
is at this time that one can stop fearing death.
His death is a liberating realization.

Gregor
says, Yes, to his own death and dies reconciled
with himself and with the New World (Emrich, 145).
Critics agree that Kafka is imply[ing] that man is
hopelessly and inappropriately situated in the
world as a beetle would be in a human family
(Thorlby, 40). In reference to mans position in
life Kafka says, though it is imperative for us to
attempt to follow the true way, it is impossible
for us to succeed in doing so (Winkler, 46). Kafka
wrote Before the Law in December of 1914. It was
one of the few works that he considered ready for
print (Emrich, 515). Each element of the story
represents an aspect of the truth Kafka wishes us
to see about justice and about man.

The Law, in
the mans eyes, is truth, perception, grace, and
happiness. The Man is persistent yet powerless in
attaining the benefit of The Law. The Gate is the
path to the truth, and The Guard is the obstacle
in that path (Zatonsky, 223). According to Kafkas
writing, The Law is not a desirable institution
that one can turn to for protection of their
rights. The Law is no longer a living being, but a
petrified institution, no longer timely, only
still intimidating (Fischer, 91).

Before the Law
demonstrates a lack of timeliness in the justice
system when the Man grows old waiting to be
permitted to enter into it. The Man has come to
know and find Justice [and] is left with nothing,
and the Law, for which he has thirsted, is
inaccessible to himbut at no time during the
parable does the Guard actually say that the Man
can not enter (Suchkov, 165). The doorkeeper
stands before the Law and not in the Law (Emrich,
325). True to human nature, The Man stopped at the
first sign of resistance, and opted to wait for a
path of lesser resistance. Perhaps Kafka is
suggesting that if The Man wanted to access The
Law, he should have been more aggressive.

He
should have pushed through the barrier, demanding
his rights instead of waiting for them to be
handed to him. He also suggests by his ending of
the parable: No one else could ever be admitted
here, since this gate was made only for you. I am
now going to shut it. (Kafka, 128), that if one
does not take the initiative to go through the
door, then the opportunity will pass and that door
will be closed. Fischer rests more fault on the
shoulders of The Guard, saying that he repels the
only one who as an individual requests entry, who
is looking for his human rights as an
individual..individualism has become impotent
(91).

Kafka uses the gatekeeper to exaggerate the
strength of world evil [in this case, the justice
system] and portray it as something indestructible
and invincible (Suchkov, 164). In the story, the
gatekeeper says, from hall to hall there is one
door-keeper after another, each more powerful than
the last (Kafka, 128). In reference to Kafkas
search for truth, each su ...